How One Ukrainian Woman Is Redefining Innovation – From Kharkiv to All of Europe
July 29, 2025
Building Something Bigger Than Herself — and Inspiring a Nation Along the Way An interview with Olga Shapoval, Visionary Leader and EIT Red Kalyna Awardee
“You don’t have to walk the path alone. But you do have to dream – and act.”
These words capture the spirit of Olga Shapoval — a visionary, a leader, a mother, and one of the 2024 laureates of the EIT Red Kalyna initiative, the flagship programme of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), which supports Ukrainian women in innovation.
Her journey is not just one of professional success — it’s a story of values, resilience, and a commitment to building a better future for Ukraine and beyond.
Olga leads Kharkiv IT Cluster, a community of 650 tech companies and partners, a major business, education, and institutional platform transforming the IT landscape not only in eastern Ukraine but across the country. Today, Kharkiv IT Cluster is a space where members can scale their efforts, exchange knowledge, and protect industry interests.
“We don’t look for what divides us – we look for common ground and build on that.”
With a background in international business management and over 20 years in top executive roles, Olga made a bold shift from corporate business to civic leadership.
Why?
Because the question that kept her up at night wasn’t “What’s next in my career?” but “What kind of world am I building for my children?”
Leadership shaped by crisis
In 2022, the Cluster faced war, evacuation, and uncertainty. But the team didn’t stop — they grew stronger.
“I remember when we created the IT Cluster in the Cloud platform for relocated tech companies closing their offices but not their businesses. The full-scale war had just started, and thousands were leaving Kharkiv. At the same time, companies were seeking ways to stay connected and supported beyond geographic limits. Nearly 500 companies joined the platform in its first year. In many ways, we became an anchor for those who had scattered across Ukraine and the world but remained part of the community.”
Under Olga’s leadership, the Kharkiv IT Cluster coordinated evacuations, launched emergency support funds, and helped set up safe educational environments. Together with the city, the team initiated the Kharkiv Emergency Coordination Center, a 24/7 rapid-response system for coordinating services and reacting to threats.
“The success of Kharkiv IT Cluster is a team story, a puzzle made up of the efforts of our team, our members, and our partners. Our Executive Team is made up of extraordinary women whose achievements inspire me more than my own. I’m grateful to each of them for the commitment that shapes the Cluster’s story.”
– Olga Shapoval
Olga is actively involved with other organizations:
Is a Supervisory Board member of Diia.City Union, the largest association of Diia.City residents
And co-founded the Coalition of Industry and Business Communities of the Kharkiv Region
“When people entrust you not only with their business but with their lives, you understand the true weight of your work.”
Despite COVID, war, and economic shocks, the Cluster has continued to grow. Among its key achievements:
Building Europe’s largest IT education network, uniting over 240 partners and 60 universities
Creating an educational ecosystem that spans all levels — from schoolchildren to university professors
Reaching 35,000+ participants annually, supported by over 1,000 mentors from real tech companies
A New Kind of Platform
For Olga, being recognized by EIT Red Kalyna wasn’t just an award — it was the first time she allowed herself to tell the story of what her team had built. Her colleagues nominated her, even though she’s always preferred action over the spotlight. Red Kalyna became a platform of a different kind — one grounded in values, honesty, and mission.
“It wasn’t about headlines — it was recognition for years of real work, for impact, and for staying true to my principles.”
– Olga Shapoval
As a laureate, Olga gained access to leading European innovation networks, grew her public presence, and shared her story with the world.
Today, she champions:
Transnational collaboration
Inclusive leadership
Next-generation innovation policy
This aligns with initiatives like:
The AI Continent Action Plan
The Startup and Scaleup Strategy
And the Union of Skills Strategy, part of the European Commission’s Competitiveness Compass package
“As a child, I wanted to be a vet – to care for those who can’t care for themselves. Over the years, I realized what truly inspires me is working alongside people with shared values, building ecosystems and partnerships that make the impossible possible.”
In 2024, Olga began working on a PhD dissertation that will help scale her experience in business and cluster leadership. Her research explores a new paradigm of managing the international competitiveness of SMEs, one where companies adapt their management systems to benefit from cluster membership.
Whether launching educational programs or forming new alliances between business, education, and government, Olga’s story embodies the essence of Red Kalyna: resilience fueled by innovation and leadership grounded in real impact, not ego.
